Jose Manuel Romualdez, the Philippine Ambassador to the United States (U.S.), commented last Wednesday about the potential for Chinese-Philippine conflict over control of the South China Sea, inciting the outrage of Chinese officials. Romualdez maintained that while Taiwan may become a point of contention for control of the region, the “real flashpoint is the West Philippine Sea” given “all of these skirmishes happening there.” In response, the Chinese embassy in Manila released a statement condemning Romualdez’s statements, claiming that they were inflammatory and untrue. The Chinese embassy further warned Romualdez to stop “acting as a spokesperson for other countries” and that such actions may “complicate the regional situation, and undermine regional peace and stability.”
In defense of Romualdez, the Philippine embassy in Washington, D.C. responded to the claims levied by the Chinese embassy in Manila by releasing a formal statement, disclosing that Romualdez’s comments are “consistent with the position expressed by the Philippine Government’s highest officials, particularly regarding the threat posed by unlawful, aggressive, and provocative actions of the Chinese Coast Guard and Chinese maritime militia against Philippine vessels and personnel, and Filipino fishermen.” The Philippine embassy’s steadfast defense of Romualdez and the Chinese embassy’s straightforward condemnation mirror the difficulty in resolving the territorial issues in the South China Sea. Past efforts to define boundaries have been hindered by the economically and politically charged situation.
This recent dispute is in response to an increased Chinese presence in Philippine naval territory and the resulting pressure placed on the United States to secure shipping routes in the region. With around five trillion dollars in global trade passing through the South China Sea, the body serves as an area of high interest for many states. The complexity of geopolitics in the region demonstrates the difficulty in enforcing international maritime law, particularly with regards to Chinese interests in fortifying the position in Southeast Asia. In order to maintain international law and prevent U.S.-Chinese conflict in the South China Sea, bolstering support of relations between China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (A.S.E.A.N.) through increased diplomacy, economic integration, socialization, and multilateralism may serve to benefit the region. However, the extensive diplomatic methods used in the past have been unsuccessful at creating a long-lasting, sustainable solution. For the time being, the most ideal solution may be de-escalation to avoid immediate conflict and the reduction of tensions among local powers through increased dialogue and pressure from abroad.
Disputes over the South China Sea originate from a 1947 Chinese-drawn map, in which 11 dashes (later nine) marked the naval boundaries of China. The dashes included significant portions of the South China Sea, as well as the Paracel and Spratly Islands. China lays a historical claim over this region, but the surrounding countries of Vietnam, Brunei, Malaysia, and the Philippines have all disputed China’s claim. In 1982, the third United Nations Conference on the Law of the Sea (U.N.C.L.O.S.) established the concept of exclusive economic zones, which contested China’s command of the region. The discovery of oil and the dependence on the waters for fishing prompted the discontent of A.S.E.A.N. countries, who sought to protect their respective zones from Chinese encroachment. A standoff between the Philippines and China over the Scarborough Shoal took place in 2013, resulting in the Philippines filing and winning an international arbitration case against China under U.N.C.L.O.S., although China does not accept the court’s findings. China’s proliferation of the region with military technology, and America’s increased presence in the Philippines, heighten uncertainty in the region. With such high stakes regarding global trade and military positioning, the South China Sea dispute serves as a crucial stage on which Chinese-U.S. relations may play out.
As the world continues to debate whether the rise of China will be peaceful, the South China Sea remains a crucial point of contention. In particular, the Philippines’ reliance on the body for fishing and petroleum extraction places extensive pressure on Chinese-Philippine relations. In light of recent Houthi attacks on shipping routes in the Red Sea, the security of global trade through the South China Sea is more important than ever. Diplomatic means of peacemaking are necessary to avoid widespread disruption of supply chains and to maintain political stability in the region.
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